Grants

CAFM Educational Research Alliance

How to Apply

What You Need to Know

How are proposals scored?Proposals are reviewed by at least two researchers. They are assessed for logistical considerations, as well as to the significance and new knowledge to be yielded. Applications are evaluated in the following areas:

Whether the results are likely to yield a high-quality peer-reviewed publication

Overall quality of submission

Applicants receive brief feedback from reviewers.

What type of hypotheses is CERA looking for?CERA is looking for hypotheses that go beyond describing the current state of something in family medicine education (e.g. How many ___ do ___?). The best research hypotheses make predictions about the association between at least two phenomena. Consider one of these types of hypothesis:

How many questions can I submit?To keep surveys a manageable length and to keep response rates up, CERA limits the number of questions per research proposal to about 10, in addition to the recurring demographic questions. Here is how CERA counts various question types:

Each subquestion is counted. For example, the following counts as four questions:

How important do you feel each of the following procedures are for your residents to learn (1=least important; 5=most important):

Shave biopsy 1 2 3 4 5

Excisional biopsy 1 2 3 4 5

Vasectomy 1 2 3 4 5

IUD insertion 1 2 3 4 5

For check all that apply questions, each possible answer is counted. For example, the following counts as six questions:

Which of the following procedures are residents required to become competent to perform in order to graduate (check all that apply)?

Shave biopsy

Excisional biopsy

Vasectomy

IUD insertion

Colposcopy

Limited OB ultrasound

Questions that call for the respondent to rank order have each option counted. For example, the following would count as three questions:

Rank, from 1 to 3, which of the following procedures you feel are the most important for graduating residents to be competent to perform:___ Shave biopsy___ Excisional biopsy___ Vasectomy___ IUD insertion___ Colposcopy___ Limited OB ultrasound

What types of questions are not allowed in CERA surveys?The following are generally not allowed in CERA surveys:

Open ended questions

Matrix formats

"Chose all that apply” questions are discouraged. When allowed, each item will be counted as a “question” (see above).

What About IRB Approval?CERA surveys use the American Academy of Family Physicians IRB, a federally approved IRB. Investigators should follow their local IRB policies regarding use of the data.

How to Submit a Proposal for a CERA Survey

Watch for an open call for proposals, which is sent to members of ADFM, AFMRD, NAPCRG, and STFM.